Victorian veteran Stuart Appleby plans 18th tilt at US PGA tour

A FITTER, leaner and healthier Stuart Appleby will roll the dice on the US PGA Tour next year.

Appleby, 41, confirmed yesterday he would use his one-off career earnings exemption to contest an 18th season in the US.

Appleby lost his card after finishing outside the top 125 on the money list this year, but more than $25 million won since 1996 makes him eligible to get another crack at it next year.

And he will play with the same swing he used for his nine wins, having lost his way over the past 18 months because of a niggling back injury that put his game out of kilter.

The Victorian said his desire to get back to playing winning golf on the biggest stage had never waned.

"I spent a lot of the last few years getting down and frustrated, and as soon as that word creeps in to golf it's hard to compete at a high level," he said yesterday.

"I have learned enough this year that I can turn my year around next year.

"I'm excited. My body is feeling better and my swing is feeling better. I don't know what it means, but that is a good combination to have."

Appleby dropped almost 5kg as part of an everyday fitness regimen he knew he had to adopt if he were to compete with golf's new brigade of young stars.

"I worked hard this year on getting into shape and getting my energy levels up," he said. "Playing badly eats into your energy. I feel like I am trying to be a bit more bulletproof.

"I am the lightest I have been in my career. I found I was getting tired at the end of the day, and I knew I had to be better. I had to have energy to play better.

"Youth is energy and age can be experience. I think I am trying to be a bit more like the youthful version of me in an older set-up."

Appleby's long-time coach, Steve Bann, said the golfer was well down the track towards reconditioning his body to swing like he did, and keep himself healthy for the golf ahead.

"He still thinks he has a lot of years of world class golf in him, and I agree," Bann said.

Appleby said he had drawn on the success of 40-plus players such as Steve Stricker to give him confidence that a return to better playing days was ahead.

"If I keep in good shape and keep injury away, you can do that sort of stuff," he said "The glass is half full. Whether you are trying to re-ignite your game or someone doing well, that's how you have to be.

"The keys to success are there. I know determination and belief are there, and you have to enjoy it. When you are playing badly it's tough, but that's the game. And you can't kick the ball to someone else, it's all on you.